Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Why Are You Here?
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"Is this for real?"
"...Nah."
"Pfft... Just kidding. He's not your boyfriend."
SNS landmine BL Alps stan fujoshi rhythm game otaku Japanese master Han Do-hee having a real-life boyfriend? Honestly, it didn't add up. The guy Unnie mentioned was just a neighborhood friend, someone who'd known Han Do-hee for a long time.
Han Do-hee had tried to slip away unnoticed, but with all the wrecked cars still clogging the road, she got stuck and ended up spotted. We'd joined an open-type gate raid, and everyone was starving afterward, so we hit the convenience store for snacks.
"We're just messing around like kids~"
"Our parents are just close friends. It's nothing."
"Heh, really?"
"Yup. Oppa likes pretty girls."
"Uncle."
"Ow. Don't call me that."
I'd thought he was some super weird uncle at first, but he turned out to be more like a mildly less weird insurance company guy. And the name rang a bell. Kwon Do-young? Kwon Do-young... Felt like I'd seen it on the gallery.
"You still pulling that crap?"
"Ha, it's my destiny. Like, Destiny Women's University level."
"Lame as hell. Die, for real."
Oh, right. A hunter operating in the Gyeongbuk area. High rank, but never joins gates—shows up after everything's over just to peddle insurance.
"Uncle, why don't you fight?"
"I do fight. Pretty damn well, too."
"Really? That's not what I heard."
"Old folks who won't listen are scarier than monsters. I'm fighting for my life every day."
"Ah."
Unnie said she'd known the insurance scammer uncle since high school. Anyway, we weren't sticking around Gumi long. Grabbed some hot bars and fish cakes from the convenience store, scarfed them down, and hit the road again.
"Bye, uncle. We're heading out."
"Alright, you're a hunter, right? Come by for insurance advice later."
"Eve, don't listen to him. You'll get scammed."
"Hehe."
We left at 11 and drove about five hours. Finally made it to Busan. And wow, this place is insane.
"Cars just going wherever the hell they want..."
"Damn, the driving here makes me wanna curse."
"Do-hee, fighting!"
"Ugh, Kim Chae-ah, you drive."
"I don't have a license, hehe."
People reveal their true selves behind the wheel, but Busan's roads have the power to drag out sides you didn't even know existed. We came off the Gyeongbu Expressway at Busan IC, hit Jungang-daero, and soon entered Seomyeon.
"Whoa, the roads are shaped like Porky. Must be 'cause it's a coastal city."
"Man, this is driving me crazy."
Han Do-hee losing her mind over the utterly brain-dead road conditions, with Chae-ah Unnie in the passenger seat constantly defusing her rage gauge with sweet desserts. Watching from the back, it was hilarious.
"This ain't working. Park the car and walk?"
We were planning to roam Seomyeon, Nampo, or even Haeundae if needed, so walking might actually be faster than driving. Peak traffic hours were starting, and with tomorrow being Christmas Eve, it felt even more crowded.
In the end, we parked at Busan Station public lot and decided to explore on foot together.
"Whew, walking's way more comfy."
"I liked being in the car."
"Kim Chae-ah, you're really pissing me off today."
"I'll buy you tons of tasty stuff!"
"Mwahaha."
I actually preferred the car too, but seeing Han Do-hee's rage-confusion-despair-anxiety-fear gauge filling up in real time was entertaining. Walking wasn't that bad anyway.
"Where's Suri?"
"Probably flying around somewhere? She'll follow us fine."
Suri was too big to walk with, and leaving her in the car felt wrong. So we let her loose to fly overhead. She's super smart and always finds her way back.
Ddoggo had settled nicely on top of my head. This guy treating the princess's head like his personal throne—total ingrate.
"You little Ddoggo. You should be carrying the princess."
—Beep...
"Tired from fighting? Do robots even get tired...?"
First time in Busan, so I had no clue what was what, but Chae-ah Unnie and Han Do-hee were from Gyeongsang-do originally and came down often.
"First up... Kkangtong Market?"
"Sounds good."
"What's Kkangtong?"
"It's a market name. We'll grab dinner and stroll around."
"Aha."
About 15 minutes' walk from Busan Station public parking brought us to Kkangtong Market. Super crowded. Nearing 5 PM, so lots of people out for dinner, plus holidaymakers off work for Christmas break.
"Eve, hold my hand tight. Easy to lose someone here."
"Ah, okay!"
One quirky thing about Busan that blew my mind—something you'd never see in Seoul.
"Hunters are all carrying weapons?"
"That's Busan for ya. Sometimes at night, you see drunk hunters scrapping. It's hilarious."
"Whoa..."
No way—this ultimate entertainment event only in Busan? Why doesn't Seoul have that advanced culture?? Sure, drunk hunter fights happen occasionally in Seoul, but rarely with weapons. Cops swarm in and shut it down fast.
But Busan? They let 'em fight, then cops show up after to assess damage and bill accordingly.
What a total blast city.
"Hehe, I wanna see."
"Eve, from here on, hold Unnie's hand tight. Got it?"
"Ah, yes."
Honestly, holding hands still felt a bit awkward. My hands felt too small now, that's all.
"Eve, aren't your hands cold? Did Ophelia forget gloves?"
"I have 'em in my pocket. Took out my phone."
"Put 'em on~ Hands'll freeze."
"Yes'm."
"Eve, ever tried seed hotteok?"
"Gasp. Just heard the name."
"They got it here. Let's go."
"Ooh!"
So we wandered Kkangtong and International Markets with Han Do-hee and Chae-ah Unnie, stuffing ourselves silly. Midway, Ophelia called.
"Princess, enjoying Busan?"
"Ah, Ophelia. Should I summon you? So much tasty stuff here."
"If you don't need my help, I'm fine. Still arranging new furniture."
"I see... Minium helping too?"
"Yes."
No idea what they hauled into the house, but new places always mean tons of work. I'd planned to call Ophelia to Busan, but oh well.
"Eek."
This seed hotteok was seriously scorching hot. Felt like shoving boiling oil disguised as hotteok into my mouth.
"Hey, if ya shove it straight in without coolin', yer tongue's done for."
"Uh... Pardon?"
"Eve, eat it slowly after cooling, she says?"
"Oh?"
She definitely wasn't speaking Korean, but Chae-ah Unnie got it instantly. I was still grinding away at one language, hadn't tackled Busan dialect yet.
"Eve, tasty?"
"Hehe, mahi-da."
Tongue tip stung a bit from the burn, but I could tough it out. This was manly adult level—like a dual-wielding berserker Viking with braided chin beard.
—Click!
"Eek."
"Gloves on, so Unnie'll snap the pic?"
"Ah, thank you."
Seed hotteok was just hotteok stuffed to the brim with seeds. Loved nuts anyway, so delish.
"Eve, chewing each seed one by one, right?"
"Why?"
"Swallow without chewing, and beans grow in your tummy?"
"Psh. Liar."
"..."
"Ugh... L-liar...!"
"Yup. Total lie."
"Unnie...!!"
Scared me good. But wait—they're fried in oil, sizzling away. No way plants sprout from those seeds. Why'd I fall for it? Total idiot.
Ugh, annoying. Reflect, Eve.
"What else ya wanna eat?"
"Hm... Tteokbokki?"
Busan famous for tteokbokki too? Mentioned it, and Han Do-hee smirked, shaking her head.
"Yo, tteokbokki's just rice cakes. Skewer of garaetteok."
"Eh? Then why famous...?"
"Beats me. Want it anyway?"
"Not anymore..."
Out of the market, we hit BIFF Square—no beef despite the name. Tons of street vendors, holidays plus rush hour made it packed.
Devoured scorching seed hotteok, body toasty, belly full. But Chae-ah Unnie and Han Do-hee hadn't eaten proper, so after a quick look, off to Jagalchi Market.
"Another market?"
"Dinner time. Eve like sashimi?"
"Love it."
"Ooh, so grown-up?"
"Ahem..."
"What flavor is this...?"
Jagalchi inside was mobbed, so we scoped outer shops for a diner. But...
"Sashimi not good?"
"Just... full?"
"Speak up if you can't eat it."
"No, I can... but..."
Tastes changed? Sashimi blah. But yeah, hotteok filled me up. Not starving anyway. More goodies later.
"Eve got kiddo tastes."
"Not kiddo tastes..."
Chae-ah Unnie slurped gukbap like a champ—face she'd never Insta. Han Do-hee lost her landmine vibe with gukbap. Fully localized Korean feel.
"Ugh, stuffed."
"Eve barely ate. Gotta buy something she'll devour?"
"I'm good."
Busan had cheap hotels aplenty. They'd scouted sleep spots ahead. We'd mosey there later for the night.
And no Ophelia today—score! Skip bath and crash. Perks of sleepover?
"Walk around?"
"Yeah."
Post-dinner, out we went. Jagalchi entrance swarmed. Hunter brawl maybe? Nope.
"Isn't that Chae-rin Unnie?"
"Whoa, it is."
Chae-rin Unnie flanked by black-suited escorts, plus someone beside her. Spiky wild hair, insane outfit—like mentally unhinged.
"Gasp... Yan Pei...!"
"Forgot, but here she is."
"Crowd's thick, hard to see. Piggyback, Eve?"
"Ah, yes!"
Tall Chae-ah Unnie hooked under my arms and hoisted me up. Any higher, I'd see Lotte Tower.
"Whoa... Not cold?"
"See her?"
"Yes! Clear!"
Gazing a bit, Yan Pei whipped her head around and locked eyes with me.
"O. Eye contact."
But she didn't stop—turned straight our way. Chae-rin Unnie tried stopping her, but Yan Pei was an S-rank frontline warrior.
She shoved through the crowd toward us. Chae-rin Unnie spotted me too.
"E-Eve?!"
"Wah, Chae-rin Unnieee."
Down I went—arm pain issue. Chae-rin Unnie bolted my way, linking up with Yan Pei.
And Yan Pei in her violently punk getup right in my face.
"Found ya, kiddo."
"N-ni hao...!"
See? Now I speak two languages.